WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama announced on Sunday that Democrats and Republicans leaders have reached an agreement to reduce the U.S. deficit and avoid default. The agreement will cut about $1 trillion over 10 years.

President Obama said that spending cuts included in deal to raise the debt ceiling will not happen so quickly that they will drag on the fragile U.S. economy.

In a brief statement, Obama said he would make a detailed case over the next few months for a blanched approach to deficit reduction.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said the U.S. debt deal struck on Sunday cuts spending by $917 billion over 10 years and tasks a panel with finding at least $1.5 trillion more to trim.

In a presentation prepared for a call with his fellow Republicans, Boehner said the joint committee would have to present its findings to Congress by November 23, with an up-or-down vote required by both the House and Senate by December 23.

Lawmakers were close to a last-ditch $3 trillion deal on Sunday afternoon to raise the U.S. borrowing limit and assure jittery financial markets that the United States will avoid a potentially catastrophic default.

The Senate's top Democrat tentatively signed off on an emerging compromise with the Republicans, raising hopes a long battle over cutting the deficit was nearing an endgame. There are two days left to lift the debt ceiling, which caps how much money the United States can borrow to pay all of its bills.

"We're really, really close to an agreement," said Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican leader who has been in negotiations with Vice President Joe Biden on a plan to reduce the deficit and permit a vote to raise the debt ceiling.

Financial markets showed signs of relief at a deal in the making to meet Tuesday's deadline, as U.S. stock futures jumped and the dollar rebounded on Sunday.

Signaling agreement could be imminent, an aide said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would support the deal as long as fellow Democrats back it as well. But another congressional aide said a Senate vote was "highly unlikely" until Monday.

Support was still uncertain in the House of Representatives. Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, a leading liberal considered crucial to delivering enough Democratic votes to offset Republican defections, suggested the terms under negotiation would be a tough sell in her party.

She set a meeting with House Democrats on Monday on how to proceed.

A deal would ease the immediate crisis but repercussions will be felt for years to come. Bitter brinkmanship has turned dysfunction seemingly into the norm in Washington, undercut America's stature as the world's capitalist superpower and set the stage for a deeply ideologically 2012 presidential race when President Barack Obama is seeking re-election.

Full congressional approval could come within hours of a final accord, but leaders will first have to gauge whether they have the votes to pass it though the Senate and House, where the political calculus is complicated by the entrenched opposition of some Tea Party-affiliated conservatives.

Many Democrats were also skeptical of the deal that Republicans said would cut deficits by up to $3 trillion over a decade. It would force Democrats to stomach deep spending cuts without the accompanying tax increases they wanted.

Republicans have demanded big spending reductions before they will agree to lift the limit on America's borrowing, turning a normally routine legislative matter into a dangerous game of brinkmanship.

In a sign Democratic leaders may lose the support of their most liberal members, Representative Raul Grijalva said he could not back the plan. He is the head of the 74-member Congressional Progressive Caucus.

"Today we, and everyone we have worked to speak for and fight for, were thrown under the bus," he said.

PHILADELPHIA — There are days when Raul Ibanez has to be dragged out of the cage.

He was like that at 29. He's still like that at 39.

The left-hander is all about putting in the time, which sometimes in the end, means the spotlight is on him.

That part makes him totally uncomfortable.

Example: Sunday.

Ibanez carried the Phillies in their 6-5 win over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. He homered twice, including a two-run shot in the eighth inning that tied the game at 5, and drove in the game-winning run with a walk-off, RBI double in the 10th inning, giving the Phils their fifth series sweep of the season.

He smiled after the game. He answered every question thrown his way.

But he was reluctant — again— to take credit for what's he done, acknowledge his success, or play up his most recent tear.

"[I am] just really trying to take it one day at a time," Ibanez said. "Not looking behind me and I'm not looking ahead of me."

In the last three weeks, Ibanez has been an RBI machine. Over the course of his last 21 games, he's driven in 25 runs and hit .306 (26-for-85) with seven home runs.

On Sunday, he was 3-for-5 with four RBIs. He hit a solo shot in the second that put the Phillies ahead 1-0. His two-run home run to left-center field in the eighth dug the Phillies out of a 5-3 hole and knotted things up at 5.

Then in the 10th after Hunter Pence ripped a one-out double down the left-field line, Ibanez drilled a 1-0 fastball off left-handed reliever Tony Watson to right that scored Pence for the game's deciding run.

Ibanez now has driven in the game-winning runs in three of the Phillies' six, walk-off wins this season.

Good luck trying to get him to talk about any of that, though.

"I try to stay in the moment and evaluate at a later date," he said. "I try not to [look at my stats]."

Ibanez has taken that approach from Day 1 when he arrived at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla., in 2009.

He knows no other way to be.

So let's let manager Charlie Manuel boast about his six-hole hitter.

"He's been swinging the heck out of the bat," Manuel said. "He's in a good streak. I've seen him get on a streak like that, and you guys have too. He can stay in it for quite a while, too."

Pence got his first taste of Phillies drama Sunday, and he still seemed to be in awe after crossing home plate with the game-winning run with one out in the 10th.

"It's electric," he said of the atmosphere and his new teammates. "Every one of them has a different charisma about them. It's been two games, but every time they've answered — and it's been different guys. Jimmy Rollins, even the pitchers hitting. It was Ryan Howard [Saturday]; Raul [Sunday]."

After Antonio Bastardo retired the heart of the Pirates order 1-2-3 in the ninth, the Phillies had a golden opportunity in the bottom half of the inning.

Rollins and Shane Victorino drew back-to-back, two-out walks, putting the game in Chase Utley's hands. The Pirates turned to Watson to face Utley, who had already singled, grounded out twice and popped out once, and he got him to fly out to end the inning.

Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle opted to keep Watson in to face the righty Pence, and it came back to bite them when the 28-year-old doubled to start the rally.

"I hope that it's a dynamic that helps," Pence said of being a right-hander sandwiched between two lefties.

DINGERS: Phils pitcher Vance Worley allowed four runs in seven innings, the first time he's allowed more than two runs in seven starts (he gave up 8 runs on May 29). … Bastardo extended his career-best winning streak to six games. … Rollins hit .462 (6-for-13, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs) in the Pirates series. … The Phillies were 7-3 on the home stand and are now 5-6 in extra-inning games. … It was Ibanez's first multi-home run game of the season and the 14th of his career.

Raul Ibanez homered twice and hit the game-winning double in the 10th inning to lift the Philadelphia Phillies to a 6-5 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies trailed 5-3 in the eighth when Ibanez hit a two-run shot for his second homer of the game. He doubled to right off Tony Watson (0-2) in the 10th to score Hunter Pence and help the Phillies complete a three-game sweep.

Antonio Bastardo (4-0) struck out one in a scoreless inning to earn the win.Ibanez hit a solo homer in the second off Pirates starter Jeff Karstens and his tying blast was off Jose Veras.

The Pirates, trying to keep pace in a crowded NL Central race, left Philadelphia reeling but with two new bats. A day after they traded for Derrek Lee, the Pirates acquired outfielder Ryan Ludwick from the San Diego Padres.

C.J. McCollum of Lehigh failed in his bid to make the USA Basketball roster for the World University Games.

McCollum, a junior guard, was one of 22 players who accepted invitations to try out for the team.

Following three days of tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball today announced 14 finalists for the U.S. roster. Two more players will be cut before the tournament begins Aug. 13 in Shenzhen, China.

Still in the hunt for roster spots are Tim Abromaitis of Notre Dame, Marcus Denmon of Missouri, Ashton Gibbs of Pittsburgh, Draymond Green of Michigan State, JaMychal Green of Alabama, Scoop Jardine of Syracuse, John Jenkins of Vanderbilt, Orlando Johnson of UC Santa Barbara, Greg Mangano of Yale, Trevor Mbakwe of Minnesota, Ray McCallum of Detroit Mercy, Darius Miller of Kentucky, Aaric Murray of West Virginia and Shabazz Napier of Connecticut.

I am loving the salute to MTV on VH1 Classic this weekend. So far I’ve caught parts of Spring Break, Beavis and Butthead, The Real World, Remote Control (which I was lucky enough to be a contestant), and more.

Monday at midnight, the first hour of MTV from August 1, 1981 will be re-broadcast.

I had a story in an unusual place in the paper on Sunday -- on page 6 of the news section.

The story was about Friday and a special day Bethlehem Township resident and Freedom High graduate John Lahutsky experienced in New York City. I was there to see a good portion of it.

John is the young man who was abandoned by his alcoholic birth mother at a very young age and placed in a horrible Russian orphanage where the conditions made it hard just to survive. John has cerebral palsy and it seemed like the Russian society just gave up on him and cast him aside. The atrocities were almost unbelievable. It's all in a book that John wrote "The Boy from Baby House 10."

In that brutal orphanage, John's good friend became Andrei. Andrei also has cerebral palsy and the two helped each other to survive. John even taught Andrei how to speak. They became brothers.

Fortunately, both young men were adopted by wonderful people through the Russian Orthodox Church and brought to America.

John found a home here in the Lehigh Valley with Paula Lahutsky, a wonderfully caring lady.

Andrei found a home with the Sullivan family and first lived in Tampa and now lives in Michigan.

John and Andrei hadn't seen each other for 14 years when they were struggling to live in Russia.

But on Friday, they were reunited for the first time in New York City by the Yankees as part of the team's "HOPE Week" festivities.

And their reunion at NBC in Rockefeller Studio was just the start of an unbelievable day.

My friend Chuck Frantz, the president of the Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club (seen at the right with John),Yankees 006 was the one who set everything in motion by writing a letter alerting the Yankees about John Lahutsky, who told Chuck back in February that he was a Yankee fan.

Chuck said he was only trying to arrange a visit to the stadium for John, but the Yankees decided to take it to the next level -- and a very big level at that -- by making John and Andrei two of their "HOPE Week" honorees.

What unfolded on Friday was just unbelievably touching and heartwarming. After being reunited at the "Today" show, John and Andrei were taken on a horse carriage ride from Rockefeller Center to Central Park and manager Joe Girardi (below left with John) was along for the ride and couldn't have been more considerate.Lahutsky (1)

At Central Park, Yankee stars Mark Teixeria and Brett Gardner, along with several coaches, joined in the fun.

And I will say that, Teixeria was amazing how he interacted with John and Andrei, absolutely amazing. Could not have been nicer or more concerned. Gardner was excellent, too, but Teixeria was engaging, connected and involved with everything that went on.

There was nothing that he wouldn't do for John. I have to say that since I was sitting at a picnic table right aside of them for an hour, I have a new appreciation for Mark Teixeria (seen below right with John) as a classy human being in addition to being an outstanding player. Lahutsky (7)

I am sure these guys are asked to do a lot of appearances and benefits, and sometimes you can sense they are just "phoning it in" and can't wait to get out of there.

But not these Yankees. They were genuninely nice guys.

From Central Park, it was on to the stadium and again, the Yankees couldn't have been nicer, allowing John and Andrei to stand by the batting cage as they took batting practice and virtually every team member came over at some point to say hello or share a laugh. Most impressive to me were Nick Swisher and Jorge Posada, who really seemed to enjoy meeting John and Andrei.

Derek Jeter also paid a visit and was quite nice.Lahutsky (12)

And then John and Andrei got to go on the field for a pregame ceremony, throw out the ceremonial first-pitch and got to shout "Play Ball" over the P.A. system. Even after the game began, the goodies kept coming.

It was just a wonderful day, and again, you got to see the good that still exists in sports, even professional, high-priced sports.

I know a lot of people around here don't like the Yankees. The Yankees are one of those teams -- Notre Dame football and the Dallas Cowboys also may fit the bill -- that you either love or hate.

But after seeing what the organization did for John Lahutsky and his dear friend Andrei on Friday, I can't imagine anyone hating the Yankees. They were first-class in everything they did. It truly was an eye-opening experience, one that I never forget. And more importantly, I am sure John, Andrei and both of those wonderful families will never forget it as well.

Where/When: Moravian Historical Society; Saturday from 10-1pm and Sunday from 1-4pmWhy Go: Enjoy Colonial activities like butter making, dancing and more at the historic Whitfield House at 215 E. Center St. in Nazareth. There will be plenty of food, fun and games for the whole family to enjoy. Colonial costumes are encouraged (and fun)!Price: $5

Where/When: The end of W. Center Street, Nazareth; July 28 to 31Times: The Holy Family Festival will be held Friday and Saturday, 5pm-11pm and Sunday, 2-8pm.Why Go: This Nazareth tradition will feature rides, games, bingo, food, dancing and live music. New to the festival this year is "Ethnic Night." Only food -- pizza, cabbage and noodles, bratwurst and kraut, pierogies and meatball sandwiches -- in addition to refreshments will be available during "Ethnic Night."

ALLENTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT welcomes volunteers for a "Start Your Day Right" Before-School Program at elementary schools in September. Be part of a team of community volunteers serving from 7:15-9 a.m. Monday through Friday during the school year. Training provided. FBI clearances and negative TB test required. Email: allentownsd.org/volunteer or Katie Gill at gillk@allentownsd.org.

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, Bethlehem, seeks volunteers for its Healthy Families/Healthy Kids Training Camp, noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 1 at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown. Volunteers are needed to set up, to assist with registration and activities at vendor booths, and for breakdown after the event. Contact: Kathleen Bittner, 610-867-0583, ext. 227.

GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA needs adult volunteers for its Pathway Program who want to make a difference by sharing their talents — such as culinary, music or animal care. Free training and on-going support provided. Background clearances required. Contact: Dale Moelter, 215-745-1717 ext. 1210.

PEDIATRIC CANCER FOUNDATION OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY, Whitehall Township, seeks volunteers for its September gala. Duties include phone calls, emails and coordination of information. Times needed are one to two days per week or three to four times per month in August. Contact: Nicole Ronco, 610-393-9215.

ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL, Allentown needs a volunteer for its Gift Shop 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and 1-5:30 p.m. Saturday to assist customers and straighten and restock merchandise. Also, a greeter is needed in the East Lobby to guide patients and visitors to various areas of the hospital. Hours are: 8 a.m. to noon Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and noon-4 p.m. Friday. Contact: Georgia Winfield, 610-628-8495.

THE COCO FOUNDATION, Bethlehem needs volunteers for its first Tee Time for Coco Golf Tournament at the Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 1 to help set up, organize and work the tournament. The Coco Foundation provides funding for pediatric cancer research, as well supports the families of childhood cancer patients. Contact: Lisa Walker, 570-954-8024.

THE GRESS MOUNTAIN RANCH, Orefield needs volunteers to assist with a petting zoo and donkey cart rides from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Volunteers should be friendly and have some experience with animal handling and education. Contact: Kathy Gress, 610-398-2122.

Contact the Volunteer Center to receive a brochure listing agencies that need volunteers at 610-807-0336 or email: vc@volunteerlv.org. See http://www.volunteerlv.org for a larger listing of volunteer opportunities.

But when they did start, Boyertown ended their streak in Game 1 by winning, 5-1, at Owls Field at Ted Palka Park.

That made things interesting.

Suddenly, it became a one-game, winner-take-all event in the nightcap. Post 382 was looking for its first state title, and the Bears, a long-time power, were looking for their 23rd.

“I wish there wasn’t even a break between games,” Bristol pitcher Steve Arthur said. “We wanted to get going because nobody can beat us twice.”

Arthur was right, and he proved it by going the distance in what turned out to be an 11-3 triumph for Bristol that set off a wild celebration after the final out.

“I don’t think our kids were intimidated at all by Boyertown,” Bristol manager Tim Monaghan said. “Boyertown is a very good team and they’re similar to Yardley Western in our league with the way they play the game.

“Having a team like Western in our league helped us get ready for playing really good teams in the tournaments.”

Post 382 almost made it look easy in the second game, as it pounded out 18 hits and had six players with at least two hits.

A four-run sixth, which included RBIs from Dave Blount, Petrizzi and Tom Harman (plus an error by the Bears that allowed another run to score), gave Bristol a 6-1 lead and some breathing room. Add in a three-run eighth, highlighted by Blount’s fourth RBI of the game, and that all but closed the book on the Bears.

And, with the way Arthur was pitching, it seemed unlikely that Boyertown would be able to mount a comeback.

Arthur, 9-0 on the season and 2-0 here with a 1.59 ERA in 17 innings, did allow 13 hits, but continually made big pitches when he had to. A pair of double plays behind him didn’t hurt, either.

“Our defense is so good,” said Arthur, who was honored as the tournament’s top pitcher. “If the ball is hit on the ground, they roll it, and if it’s in the air, they catch it. That makes a pitcher feel good.”

Arthur admitted that his arm was a little sore, but he wasn’t going to let on.

“My arm was throbbing in the bullpen, I threw 135 pitches three days ago,” Arthur said. “But when they asked me how I felt, I said I was fine. Then the adrenaline kicked in in the fourth inning and I was fine.

“This is just a great feeling. My dad wanted to be here today but couldn’t make it, and I want to share this with him.”

Up next for Post 382 will be an opening-round game against the Maryland state champion in the Mid-Atlantic Tournament that begins Thursday at Boyertown.

The Bears, as hosts of the Mid-Atlantic, would have received an automatic berth into the tournament, but went out and earned one by finishing second.

“I was happy that we finished second in a good tournament,” Boyertown manager Rick Moatz said. “Bristol is a very good team and we gave it all we had.

“I think in reality, we just didn’t have the pitching depth to shut them down anymore.”

Bristol could do little in Game 1 against Boyertown righty Steve Price, who went the distance in a 5-1 win.

And when Post 382 did try to start something offensively, Price worked out of it.

Boyertown took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, marking the first time in this tournament that Bristol trailed. Post 471 tacked on three more runs in the sixth to all but seal things.

Post 382 scored its lone run in the eighth, thanks to a two-out single by Ryan Hires. Bristol did put two runners on with two outs in the bottom of the ninth but couldn’t capitalize.

The bigger issue for Bristol in the opener was its inability to push across any runs in the fourth or fifth.

In both innings, while only trailing 1-0, Post 382 put a runner on second with no outs only to leave him stranded.

Notes: Boyertown’s Nos. 1 through 4 hitters went a combined 2-for-16 in the first game, a testament to how well the bottom of its order performed. ... The first game was played in 2 hours, 17 minutes. ...Blackhawk beat West Lawn, 9-6, Saturday in the game for third place to earn the final spot at Mid-Atlantics. ...Bristol catcher Brian Beyer was named the tournament MVP.

New geography, new venues and new parking plans accompany a host of old favorites as 10 days of Musikfest descend upon Bethlehem for a 28th year.

Relocating four stages -- including the two biggest -- to ArtsQuest's sparkling new South Side campus presents great opportunity and new challenges, officials said.

"There certainly will be growing pains," Bethlehem police Commissioner Jason Schiffer said about the adaptations police will make in patrolling a more spread-out festival.

Police put together plans over the past year, Schiffer said, to deal with at least some of the expected headaches: transportation, clogged South Side streets and people choosing to walk across the Fahy Bridge connecting the new venues to the traditional locations in Center City and the Colonial Industrial Quarter.

Strolling across the Fahy doesn't sound like a problem, but the bridge's 5-foot-wide walking path wasn't designed to accommodate typical crowds at Musikfest, which attracts more than 1 million people.

To accommodate the festival's new reach, police are bringing in additional mounted police and Northampton County's mobile command center. Five new video cameras are slated to go online by opening day Friday.

Bethlehem police Capt. David Kravatz said Musikfest won't see additional police officers on any given shift, but the officers will be doing different things.

Mobility was given priority, Schiffer said, so more officers will be on bikes, motorcycles will be out in force and the department chose to all but eliminate what it calls "static" assignments, where officers mostly stand in one place.

"The overall theme is to remain flexible," Schiffer said.

Adding a nightly sweep

City police Lt. Mark DiLuzio said he expects trouble spots such as Main Street, dubbed "puberty platz" by police, to remain popular. DiLuzio said the festival has such a history on north of the Lehigh River that police know what to expect, where people congregate and how to patrol the grounds.

South Side will be something new.

"This year will be very unique," Kravatz said. "We will re-establish a learning curve."

Police push the Musikfest crowd out each night from Volksplatz up Main Street to Broad Street. According to Kravatz, that won't change, but South Side may get a sweep of its own.

"We might need to do two sweeps instead of one," Kravatz said.

Venues open later

ArtsQuest plans to keep the festival's South Side campus open later, according to ArtsQuest spokesman Mark Demko. The Town Square stage will feature entertainment until midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

Kravatz said police have never had Musikfest shifts run that late.

Demko and Schiffer said First Street will also be open as a pedestrian-only path to and from the 24-hour Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, giving patrons of both the casino and Musikfest additional late-night entertainment options.

"That area will be patrolled," Schiffer said.

New cameras across the ArtsQuest campus, on the Fahy Bridge and in other areas will give police additional sets of eyes on the crowds at the ArtsQuest facility and congestion on the bridge.

Will the law barring alcohol on Bethlehem's bridges keep you from visiting ArtsQuest's new South Side campus during Musikfest?Yes, me and my Musikfest mug will stay on the north side of the city.No, I'm attending a concert at SteelStacksNo, I plan on taking ArtsQuest's shuttle between the venuesVoteView ResultsShare ThisQuantcastNo alcohol off grounds

Kravatz warned festival-goers about using the bridge, especially those hoping to cart alcoholic beverages from one festival site to another.

"We're trying not to encourage that (walking across Fahy)," Kravatz said, noting that ArtsQuest will have a shuttle for transportation between south and north venues. "We don't want people walking across the bridge."

Police said open containers are only legal on festival grounds, and the city's bridges are not on festival grounds.

"We are not going to tolerate people walking all around with open containers," Kravatz said. "It will be just like any other time of the year."

Shuttle use encouraged

Demko also said Musikfest patrons will be urged to use a shuttle instead of the Fahy sidewalk.

Schiffer said police will be stationed at the ends of the bridge to stamp out attempts to walk in traffic lanes. He said traffic at the north end will also be diverted to eliminate swift right-hand turns onto Lehigh Street through the crosswalk to the bridge.

Demko said people parking at satellite lots (Martin Tower at Eighth and Eaton avenues, and at Route 412 and Commerce Center Boulevard) will get fliers each day detailing stage lineups and information on how to get back and forth from the two venues.

Drivers should also note that parking at Martin Tower means the shuttle drops you off on the north side, while parking at the Route 412 lot will get you to the South Side venues. A second shuttle, or the city's Loop bus, is required to cross the Lehigh River.

"We really want people to know about the changes and how to get around," Demko said.

Kravatz said patrons for paid concerts should give themselves plenty of time to reach the show. The intra-festival shuttle costs $2 for the day, or it is included in the $4 cost of the shuttle from the remote parking sites or a day pass from LANTA, the Lehigh And Northampton Transportation Authority.

Online parking reservations

To ease some parking concerns, the city's parking authority started offering online reservations for spots in its garages. The $10 fee is the same as paying at the garage, plus a $1.92 transaction fee, but the spot will be waiting for you when you arrive, according to the parking authority's website, bethpark.org. Click on "Event Parking" at the top.

Also, ArtsQuest offers free on-site parking for ArtsQuest members at the South Side venue. Demko said memberships are up this year but probably not just for the parking perk.

Kravatz said two things have never changed in his two and half decades of Musikfest.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Don't forget: we'll be streaming a live video broadcast of games 9-15 from Bear Stadium this weekend! If you or somebody else you know can't make it out to the tournament, be sure to catch all the action here, live!

The 2011 Mid-Atlantic National Regional Championship Tournament page has been updated to include the bracket and the six teams that have qualified thus far. West Virginia and Maryland will crown their champions tomorrow, weather permitting.

SPORTING CLASSIC: The Lehigh Carbon Community College Foundation will conduct its 18th annual Golf & Tennis Classic at Lehigh Country Club on Aug. 8. Proceeds benefit the Foundation's need-based scholarship program. Golfers will play a modified scramble at 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., while the round robin tennis tournament starts at 9 a.m. The registration fee of $350 for golf and $175 per person for tennis includes lunch, dinner, an awards presentation and prizes. For more info, including sponsorship and advertising opportunities, call 610-799-1929, e-mail jwilchak@lccc.edu or http://www.lccc.edu/foundation/people-events/lccc-foundation-golf-classic.

SIZZLING SUMMER NIGHT: A free celebration will be held 5-7 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Allentown Arts Park. The event, organized by the Allentown Art Museum, Allentown Symphony Hall and the Baum School of Art, will feature art, live music by the Allentown Symphony, bocce ball and demonstrations by Baum School artists. Food and beverages from downtown restaurants will be available for purchase. Rain date is Aug. 19. Info: http://www.allentownartmuseum.org.

CALLING ALL PARROTHEADS: The 2nd annual Zoo in Paradise, a fundraiser for the Lehigh Valley Zoo, takes place 6-10 p.m. Aug. 27 at the zoo and features the Jimmy Buffett Tribute Band Parrotbeach, margaritas, beer, cheeseburgers and more. Tickets: $10, available at Lehigh Valley Zoo, http://www.morningcallstore.com/tix or call 610-820-6642. Must be 21. More info at http://www.lvzoo.org.

JOE'S TAVERN GOLF: A benefit for St. Luke's Hospital Cancer Center, the 7th annual Golf Outing of Joe's Bar & Grill takes place Aug. 28 at Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem. Registration begins at noon with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m.; dinner and awards program at 6:30 p.m. The per golfer cost of $80 includes cart and greens fees, golf gift, dinner buffet, beverages, snacks and more; dinner buffet only is $25. Golfers, sponsors or prize donors may call Janet at 610-767-9138 for information.

CHILDREN'S BALL: Community Services for Children, provider of Head Start, Early Head Start, Keystone STARS and subsidized child care, will hold its inaugural Children's Ball Sept. 16 at Saucon Valley Country Club. The ball will feature the Flamin' Caucasians dance band, dinner, a silent auction and a few surprises. Previously, CSC combined the Donley Awards presentation with a children's gala. This year, the two events stand separately. Tickets are $175 and sponsorships are available. Air Products Foundation, Klunk & Millan and Concannon Miller are early-bird sponsors. Info: 610-437-6000, ext. 2113, or http://www.cscinc.org/events.

RUN FOR VIA: The Lehigh Valley Health Network Marathon, a fundraiser for Via, will be held Sept.11. The scenic 26.2 mile course, created by Bart Yasso, begins at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest and continues through Easton. The event also includes a relay and half marathon, plus a 5K Walk on Sept. 10 starting at the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks in Bethlehem. Info: http://www.vianet.org/marathon.

ARTFUL GALA: The Baum School of Art Gala, celebrating 85 years, will be held on Sept. 24. Festivities include cocktails, food, music and a live auction featuring art and memorabilia from the school's collection. Tickets are $150 per person. Info and sponsorship opportunities: Leigh Musser at 610-433-0032.

FASHION FUNDRAISER: Truth for Women's 3rd Annual Fall Fashion Show and Silent Auction will be held 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Oct.15 at Faith Church, 6528 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown. Per-person admission is $25 at the door or $20 with pre-registration includes a jewelry sale and fashion show from My Sister's Closet, a variety of silent auction items and gift baskets, prizes, and samples from area restaurants, caterers and bakeries. Proceeds benefit Truth for Women Center, a haven for women in crisis. Call Janet Cimino at 610-767-9138 for info on sponsorships, gift donations or to receive an invitation

The Philadelphia Eagles, after Friday's impressive harvest of free agent signings led by cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, continued to add top-shelf players and addressed a need on defense by signing free agent defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins to a five-year deal today.

ESPN.com, citing league sources, said the contract was worth $25 million.

Jenkins, 30, played seven season with Green Bay, compiling 29 sacks. Last season, when the Packers played a 3-4 defense, the 6-foot-2, 305-pound Central Michigan product enjoyed his best season with seven sacks despite missing five games.

"He fits what we do on defense," said Eagles' General Manager Howie Roseman after the this afternoon's practice session at training camp at Lehigh University. "He can play inside and outside and gives us a good third-down rush from inside. We didn't think we'd have the opportunity to acquire Cullen but the opportunity came up today to get him. He had the opportunity to go elsewhere but he wanted to come here."

The addition of Jenkins made veteran Brodrick Bunkley, a first-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2006 and a starter since 2007, expendable. And the Eagles shipped him to Cleveland this afternoon for a fifth-round draft pick in 2012.

"We appreciate all (Bunkley) did here and we think Cleveland is a good opportunity for him where he can go play a lot," Roseman said

The Eagles re-signed one of their own free agents, linebacker Akeem Jordan, to a one-year deal.

The Philadelphia Phillies acquisition of Hunter Pence along with Placido Polanco's activation off of the 15-day disabled list meant that the organization needed to make a pair of corresponding moves to clear room on the 25-man roster.

The odd men out for now are outfielder Domonic Brown and pitcher Drew Carpenter. General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr. has consistently said that he would prefer Brown be in Triple-A if Charlie Manuel were not able to find regular at-bats for him in the major leagues.

With Pence joining Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, John Mayberry Jr. and Ben Francisco, there was no room for a sixth outfielder in the mix.

Brown will start in left field and bat cleanup for tonight's 6:35 p.m. contest against the Buffalo Bisons in Coca-Cola Park.

Kirk Ferentz half-laughed and half-grimaced when asked about Dan Persa.

With good reason.

Two years ago, the University of Iowa's head football coach watched the Liberty High School graduate enter the game in the second quarter to overturn a 10-0 lead Ferentz's fourth-ranked Hawkeyes owned at home over before eventually falling to Northwestern University 17-10.

Last year, Iowa led the Wildcats by 10 points with 11 minutes to go in the game. And once again, Ferentz found himself left to watch Persa engineer an heroic comeback, throwing two touchdown passes to cap drives of 85 and 91 yards and defeat the Hawkeyes 21-17.

"Maybe with the exception of (former Indiana University quarterback) Antwaan Randel El back in the 1999-2000 period there, I don't know if a quarterback has played any better than Dan did last year against us," said Ferentz at the 2011 Big Ten Football Media Days at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago. "He'd been playing well all year, but he played a phenomenal game against us. He's a tremendous competitor. You hate to see any athlete get hurt, that was just a shame."

The injury Ferentz alluded to came on the memory-etching touchdown pass to win the game.

Persa rolled to his right and threw across his body towards the goal line on the left side of the field. Unable to see if his receiver caught the ball, Persa jumped in the air to get a better view.

When he landed, his season was over.

"They brought some pressure so I slid to the right and threw it," Persa said. "I jumped to see if he caught it and when I landed I felt a pop in my leg."

Northwestern's season popped as well, as the Wildcats failed to win their three remaining games, including a thrilling 45-38 loss to Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl in Dallas on New Year's Day.

Persa played just 10 games as the Northwestern starting quarterback in 2010, but his performance was such that he was named first-team All Big Ten quarterback.

At the summit of his collegiate career, Persa finds himself a candidate for nearly every major quarterback award, including the Heisman Trophy.

"It all goes back to preparation, and Dan figured that out a long time before he came to Northwestern," Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "In our program, we've got a set of values and Dan embodies those, he goes to work. There's only one way that he operates, he gives everything he has at every given moment and that kind of work ethic is infectious."

Having broken his leg as a junior in 1995 when Northwestern went to the Rose Bowl, Fitzgerald, a two-time national defensive player of the year as a middle linebacker at NU, knows firsthand the effect that work ethic had in Persa's rehabilitation.

"He's going to come back to football not in the shape maybe the last time he played. That's going to be really frustrating. How you shake the rust off, look at it from a bigger perspective, yeah, you have to take it day-to-day," Fitzgerald said. "He's going to be back, it's going to be a little bit different because his body is going to operate a little bit different. He's 100 percent healed from the standpoint of the surgery, now it's about adding the strength, getting the conditioning level up, getting back to having fun. I know he's chomping at the bit to play football again."

Persa may be anxious to play, but not because of any chip on his shoulders.

"I don't think I have anything to prove to anybody else, it's more proving to myself that I'm back, that I'm fully healthy and I can do the things I did last year," Persa said. "Honestly though, I don't want to do those things, I don't want to rush for 500 yards. I'd rather have a running back run for 1000, kind of take the pressure off me to let me do what I do best, stay in the pocket, make throws and make plays. "

While putting up impressive numbers on the field, including a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision leading 73.5% completion rating and a 15-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio while rushing for nine more scores, it's character that has earned Persa the respect of his opponents and teammates alike.

"I think everybody in our program knew based on the work ethic of Dan, the selflessness he showed in playing special teams and doing whatever was asked of him, that everyone knew how special he is," said Al Netter, Persa's main bodyguard on the offensive line and Outland Trophy candidate. "After his freshman and sophomore years, everyone knew he was one of the leaders of this team. I wasn't surprised to see him elected captain (his junior year) even though he hadn't had a start."

Ferentz saw the same from the opposite side of the field.

"Dan Persa is a very dynamic performer and any time you lose a player like that, that's tough, it affects the football team, especially at that position," Ferentz said. "He is not only a good football player but a real leader on their team. To me, if you have Dan Persa playing quarterback, you have a chance to beat anybody."

While Persa may have one more season to shine on the gridiron, he is the first to recognize the value in what he has learned on the field and in the classroom.

"To have that education and that experience is invaluable, it's a great foundation upon which to build your life after football," he said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bitter mood prevailed on Capitol Hill as lawmakers struggled on Saturday to find a compromise measure to lift the nation's $14.3 trillion debt limit three days before a deadline to avert a ruinous default.

A day after the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a bill to cut the deficit and raise the debt limit, Democrats who control the Senate pushed ahead with their own deficit-cutting plan.

Scrambling to put together legislation that could attract bipartisan support needed to pass it in the Senate, Democrats incorporated elements of a Senate Republican proposal.

But entrenched differences remained, and back-channel talks held the best hope for a compromise. Unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, the government would be barred from further borrowing after Tuesday, according to the U.S. Treasury, and could quickly run out of money to pay all its bills.

With tensions high, Democrats accused Senate Republicans of refusing to talk to them. Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell wanted the White House involved to ensure that any final bill has broad Democratic support, aides said.

The debt saga shifted to the Senate late on Friday after the House passed a deficit-cutting bill, breaking weeks of political inertia. The Senate, as expected, quickly killed that bill that would have extended the debt ceiling by just a few months, but its earlier approval by the House lifted hopes that it could form part of a final compromise.

President Barack Obama urged lawmakers to strike a deal and head off what he has said would be an "inexcusable" default.

"There are multiple ways to resolve this problem," Obama, a Democrat, said in his weekly radio address. "Congress must find common ground on a plan that can get support from both parties in the House. And it's got to be a plan that I can sign by Tuesday."

The Senate now is expected to vote on its legislation early on Sunday morning, setting up final passage on Monday morning, shortly before U.S. financial markets open.

In a symbolic move, the House was set to vote at around 2 p.m. EDT to consider the plan crafted by Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid. House Republicans said they expected to defeat that bill because it did not contain enough spending cuts.

"The Senate is burning up precious time by working all weekend on a doomed Reid bill that can't pass the House," a House Republican leadership aide said. The aide said "congressional talks are essentially motionless until Senator Reid provides specifics to the Hill on what the president will sign."

CRUCIAL WEEKEND

With Republicans pushing to have the White House join the talks, Vice President Joe Biden, who has a rapport with McConnell from his years in the Senate, could emerge as a key player in final negotiations.

The world has watched with growing alarm as political gridlock in Washington has brought the world's largest economy close to an unprecedented default, threatening to plunge financial markets and economies around the globe into turmoil.

With its back against the wall, the U.S. Treasury could be forced to detail plans on Sunday before Asian markets open on which bills it would pay if a compromise does not appear to be in the works. Analysts believe it will stop other government spending to ensure bondholders are paid to avert a wide-scale financial crisis.

Senate Democrats' debt-limit proposal, which would cut $2.2 trillion over 10 years, was revised by Reid to incorporate parts of a "backup plan" first proposed by McConnell. Under the that version, Obama would be given the authority to raise the debt ceiling in three stages to cover U.S. borrowing needs through the 2012 elections when he is running for a second term.

The House Republican plan includes a two-stage strategy for raising the debt limit that could set up another showdown over the issue within a few months -- a prospect Obama has said is unacceptable

U.S. stocks endured their worst week in a year as the uncertainty made investors shy away from riskier assets and the dollar slumped to a record low against the safe-haven Swiss franc. Much worse could be in store if a U.S. debt deal doesn't appear to be on track by the time markets open on Monday.

A late deal also raises the prospect of the United States losing its top-notch AAA credit rating, which could rattle markets and raise borrowing costs for Americans struggling with unemployment above 9 percent.

(Additional reporting by Andy Sullivan, Alister Bull and Laura MacInnis in Washington and Michael Erman and David Gaffen in New York; Writing by Caren Bohan; Editing by Vicki Allen)

Thanks to John Hrebik and Glen Klein, here are the final regular season standings in the 2011 Stellar Allentown Varsity Boys Summer Basketball League and the quarterfinal-round matchups for Tuesday night. There are some terrific quarterfinals shaping up:

1) Freedom 12 - 2

2) Emmaus 12 - 2

3) Whitehall 11 - 3

4) Parkland 10 - 4

5) Liberty 9 - 5

6) Northampton 9 - 5

7) Allen 9 - 5

8) Becahi 8 - 6

9) Salisbury 8 - 6

10) Bangor 7 - 6

11) Faith Christian 7 - 7

12) Dieruff 6 - 9

13) Southern Lehigh 5 - 8

14) Northern Lehigh 5 - 9

15) Pleasant Valley 4 - 8

16) Boyertown 4 - 9

17) Brandywine 3 - 11

18) Quakertown 1 - 13

19) Nazareth 1 - 13

The playoff positioning was determined by head to head match ups during the regular season.

Lafayette College sophomore Laura Kleiber is currently taking part in the second round of tryouts for the U.S. Women’s Senior National Lacrosse team. The tryouts began Friday and will conclude Sunday at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

The first round of trials took place in Stony Brook, N.Y. in late May.

Kleiber, a midfielder, tallied 12 goals and four assists in 12 games during her freshman season with the Leopards.

Save The Date:Sunday, September 11th 20112:00 pmNazareth High School10 years & Not ForgottenSpecial Thanksto our Sponsors; Alexandria Manor Nazareth AreaSchool District Nazareth Area Chamber of CommercePatriotic Entertainment Provided By:Nazareth Community Band,Nazareth Area Community Chorus,Colonial Regional Color Guard,We will also have a Special Guest SpeakerAny Questions Please call:The Nazareth Area Chamber at 610.759.9188www.nazarethchamber.com

Register at wipeoutcancerfoundation.com. Advance registration is highly encouraged but not required. T-shirts will be provided to all who register in advance. Those unable to attend the WipeOUT Cancer event can become a sponsor or make a donation by going to the website.

Where/When: Moravian Historical Society; Saturday from 10-1pm and Sunday from 1-4pmWhy Go: Enjoy Colonial activities like butter making, dancing and more at the historic Whitfield House at 215 E. Center St. in Nazareth. There will be plenty of food, fun and games for the whole family to enjoy. Colonial costumes are encouraged (and fun)!Price: $5

Where/When: The end of W. Center Street, Nazareth; July 28 to 31Times: The Holy Family Festival will be held Friday and Saturday, 5pm-11pm and Sunday, 2-8pm.Why Go: This Nazareth tradition will feature rides, games, bingo, food, dancing and live music. New to the festival this year is "Ethnic Night." Only food -- pizza, cabbage and noodles, bratwurst and kraut, pierogies and meatball sandwiches -- in addition to refreshments will be available during "Ethnic Night."

Where/When: Bushkill Township Volunteer Fire Company; July 27 to 30Times: Wednesday and Thursday, 6-10pm; Friday, 6-11pm; Saturday, 5-11pm.Why Go: While enjoying rides, games, raffles, food and live entertainment, you will also be supporting a local fire company and local firefighters. The always-amazing fireworks display is scheduled for Friday around 10-10:30pm, with a raindate of Saturday.Price: $2 for parking

— After a successful career of 30-plus years with the state, seven of them as director of the Hiram G. Andrews Center, Don Rullman has decided to call it a day and ride off into retirement bliss.

The Westmont resident retired June 17, and said it was a decision he wrestled with, but in the end he knew it was time to leave.

“When you really love something and believe in it, it’s hard to walk away,” he said. “After seven years as the director, I started to feel the weight of this awesome responsibility, and the older I got, I physically wasn’t able to give it my all, so it was time.”

The center will always hold a special place in Rullman’s heart because at age 19, he found himself there for rehabilitation following a vehicle accident that left him paralyzed and wheelchair-bound.

“I was there a year and needed a lot of recovery, but when I left I felt it would be a beneficial move for me to return because I believed I could contribute and be a part of the team,” he said.

After finishing his education at Pitt, Rullman worked in public welfare in Somerset County.

In 1986, he gained employment at HGAC and worked his way through the ranks, eventually being named director in June 2004.

“I was hesitant at first because it’s a huge responsibility to take on. It’s complex because you are servicing 300 students with severe disabilities and it becomes more than just a job,” he said.

Sample wines from participating Pennsylvania wineries, including Nazareth-based Amore Vineyards and Winery. The event will include live music and art displays. Tickets cost $14 in advance and $16 at the gate.

Easton officials next week plan on shutting down the Glendon Hill Bridge for repairs until 2012.

In a news release sent out Friday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said the city will shut down the bridge beginning Aug. 4 so general contractor Nyleve Bridge Corporation of Emmaus can begin a $1.03 million rehabilitation project.

Dave Hopkins, the city's director of public works, was not immediately available for comment. However, he told city council last month the repairs were needed to replace the bridge's deteriorating 360-foot concrete deck. The bridge is currently only able to hold about 10 tons at a time instead of the 27 tons it was designed for, Hopkins said.

The council voted to earmark $200,000 for the project with the understanding that the Hugh Moore Park Trust and Commission would pay the remaining cost.

PennDOT recommended drivers allow themselves extra time while driving through the area. A detour will take drivers from Lehigh Drive to 25th Street to Main Street.

Bethlehem vo-tech alumnus Daniel Berrios will be the first student in the school's history to compete in the WorldSkills Championships where he will represent the United States in 2013.

The 2010 SkillsUSA cabinetmaking national gold medalist won the honor last week after a three-day WorldSkills qualifying trial competition during a woodworking and furnishing supplier convention in Las Vegas.

Berrios, 19, of Bethlehem, was tasked with building an intricate nightstand. He beat the 2011 gold medalist, Kaydee Walters, of Utah, to earn a seat on the 2013 team. Berrios is the first person named to the team that will compete in Leipzig, Germany, said Thomas W. Holdsworth, a SkillsUSA spokesman.

"He is a once in a lifetime kind of student. He is phenomenal," said Scott Ribarchik, who was Berrios' cabinetmaking instructor at the Bethlehem Area Vo-Tech School. "He had the composure of a college graduate. Never in all these competitions did you ever see him get shook up."

SkillsUSA competitions begin at the school level, where students face off to determine who will represent the school at the district competition, Ribarchik said. The district winner competes at states and the state winners then go on to nationals. National winners can earn a seat on the U.S. world team by winning a world trial, as Berrios did.

daniel berrios.JPGContributed PhotoAs a sophomore, Berrios said he represented the school at the regional level and didn't fare well. But by his junior year he placed third at the state level and in 2010, his senior year, he went all the way to the national level and won.

Berrios credits his success to his classes and a summer spent working at the vo-tech building desks for the school and Colonial Intermediate Unit-20. The summer work gave him needed experience with tools and taught him some tricks, Berrios said.

Once you teach Berrios something, he never forgets it, his teacher said.

Berrios, who comes from a family of woodworkers, is pursuing a degree in computer aided design at Northampton Community College. He also is teaching the adult night cabinet making class at the vo-tech.

His interests have diverged a bit from his construction oriented family as he's developed an appreciation for furniture, he said. But his ultimate goal is to become a teacher like Ribarchik, Berrios said.

The competition has opened up the world of travel to Berrios, who had only been to Puerto Rico previously. It's also given him many networking opportunities. He's met big names like famed furniture maker Tommy MacDonald, who has his own television show.

Adjusting to the time constraints of competition and all the curious onlookers was stressful the first few times, but now Berrios said he thinks competing is fun.

"Once you get into it, the stress goes away and you focus more on your projects than anyone else," he said.

SkillsUSA tries to hold the competitions in conjunction with conventions and trade shows to give students the sort of exposure Berrios has experienced, Holdsworth said. The Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers only holds its convention every two years, which is why Berrios competed so early on for the 2013 team, he said.

Tim Crockett, the promoter behind the new "Summer Slam" adult basketball tournament at Cedar Beach, will be our first guest today on the "Calling All Sports" radio show. It's heard from 9-11 a.m. on AM 1470 and online at fox1470.com.

Lawmakers have introduced a bill aimed at replacing a series of new federal regulations on the cement industry that they said will force cement plant shutdowns and lead to job losses.

U.S. Rep. Charles Dent, R-Lehigh Valley, and other members of the House on Thursday introduced legislation to provide the Environmental Protection Agency with at least 15 months to re-propose and finalize “achievable” rules for cement manufacturing facilities. The rules are aimed at reducing emissions.

The legislation also calls for extending the compliance deadline from 2013 to at least three to five years and redirecting the EPA in developing the new rules.

“It would give the cement manufacturers more time to comply,” said Collin Long, Dent’s press secretary. “Obviously, they want to comply with the standards, but feel they don’t have enough time in the current time frame to get them done. In the long run, we see this as job loser rather than a job creator for sure.”

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is among 24 national leaders also lobbying to pass the legislation. It is estimated by Dent and Toomey that the regulations as they stand currently would reduce nearly 20 percent of domestic cement manufacturing capacity within the next two years.

In a letter dated Wednesday and sent to U.S. Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Toomey said the U.S. cement industry is suffering through its greatest decline since the 1930s with current employment down to 15,000 high-wage jobs and less than $6.5 billion in 2009 annual revenues. This represents a 25 percent reduction in employment and a 35 percent reduction in revenues from pre-recession levels, he said.

Toomey argues in the letter the cement industry cannot afford significant investments resulting from new mandates, noting industry analysts estimate that this single EPA change in rules will cost $3.4 billion in compliance costs, representing approximately half of the cement industry’s annual revenue.

Toomey said he believes if Congress does not act, the new regulations also will impact almost 2,000 workers in 11 different cement plants across Pennsylvania, with seven of the plants located in the Lehigh Valley.

While representatives at Hercules in Stockertown, Essroc Cement in Nazareth, and Keystone Cement in East Allen Township all have said they are equipped to meet the stricter standards, Toomey said the longer time frame would allow the cement industries to recover from the recession and comply with regulations.

Raymond Seipp, spokesman for Buzzi Unicem USA, the owner of Hercules, is hoping the longer time frame will give the EPA time to reconsider some of the regulations.

“We are very much in favor of some sort of hold on the EPA’s regulations,” Seipp said. “We applaud the EPA’s work in the past, but this latest round, it’s moving quickly."

Keith E. Williams, who serves as a managing environmental process engineer for Buzzi Unicem USA and works at Hercules Cement, called the Lehigh Valley the birthplace of the U.S. Portland Cement Industry that at one time produced a major portion of worldwide cement. This is compared to 2 percent in 2010.

“To severely regulate the industry further will have dire consequences" while China, India and other much higher polluters will do nothing other than increase global air pollution, said Williams, who also is former chairman of the Lehigh Valley Berks Air Quality Partnership.

Rocco Marinaro, Keystone's manager of environmental compliance, said the company is optimistic Toomey’s letter will initiate a dialogue on the need to balance economic regulations and economic viability.

Gary A. Molchan, vice president of environmental affairs for Essroc, said, "Implementation of the rules as they are today would have a devastating impact on the industry. EPA can revise the rules and implement a more realistic program with timelines the industry can execute."

The new EPA regulations mark the first time the federal government has restricted emissions from existing cement kilns. The EPA representatives say the rules will prevent thousands of serious health risks.“EPA's 2010 cement manufacturing air pollution standards will slash emissions of harmful mercury, acid gases and fine particle pollution by more than 90 percent — preventing thousands of heart attacks and aggravated cases of asthma and up to 2,500 premature deaths,” Brendan Gilfillan, spokesman for the EPA, said in an e-mail Friday. “EPA will review the legislation."

All-Star right fielder Hunter Pence was traded from the the Houston Astros to the Philadelphia Phillies, giving the Phillies a righthanded bat for the middle of their lineup.

Pence was replaced by Jason Michaels before the Brewers batted in the bottom of the fifth inning in Friday's game in Milwaukee. He received several handshakes and pats on the back from teammates and coaches when he reached the dugout.

The deal does not include either Domonic Brown or Vance Worley but is centered around highly-rated Single-A prospects pitcher Jarred Cosart and first baseman Jonathan Singleton. Two other minor league players are part of the package.

Pence is expected to join the Phillies for their game tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park.